Screen grab from one of the explosions’ videos.
Early on July 14, a series of explosions rocked the outskirts of the central Saudi city of al-Kharaj to the south of the Kingdom’s capital al-Riyadh.
Local activists shared videos on social media showing large explosions near al-Kharaj, where ammunition depots and military bases are known to be located.
A spokesman for the Saudi Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General Turki al-Malki, claimed in a brief statement that an “accident” was behind the explosions.
“An incidental explosion occurred at (0510) this morning, Wednesday, 14 July 2021, in a disposition site, which is used to dispose of unserviceable munitions, outside of al-Kharj city,” Brig. Gen. al-Malki said.
According to the spokesman, the accident did not result in any casualties or material losses. Local authorities are now monitoring the situation.
Despite the Saudi MoD’s statement, some sources claimed that the al-Kharaj explosions were the result of an attack by the Houthis (Ansar Allah). The Yemeni group attacked targets in the Kingdom’s central region with missiles and drones in the past. However, the group is yet to comment on the explosions.
